Thermoplastic package for flashbulbs and like fragile articles



Dec. 22, 1964 c. WHITEFORD THERMOPLASTIC PACKAGE FOR FLASHBULBS AND LIKE FRAGILE ARTICLES 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Feb. 1, 1960 FIG. 10

INVENTOR.

CARLTON L. WHITEFOR D United States Patent 3,162,368 THERMOELASHC PACKAGE FUR FLASl-lllULlld AND LEKE FRAGHLE ARTKQLES Carlton L. Whiteford, New Canaan, (Iona, assignor to Poly-Pak Corporation of America, Springdale, Conn, a corporation of Delaware Filed Feb. 1, Hell, Ser. No. 5,868 11 Claims. (Cl. Elle-65) The present invention relates to a new and novel package for fragile articles and more particularly to a very compact and simple arrangement particularly suited for packaging a plurality of fiashbulbs and the like which are resiliently supported and separately dispensed from the package.

Fragile articles of the nature adapted to be supported within the invention package, must of necessity be supported in a resilient manner such that they will not be damaged or broken during normal handling. In order to adequately protect such fragile articles, rather complex and expensive arrangements have been employed in the pror art, whereas, the present invention provides a very compact and simple structure for providing the necessary protection for the fragile articles and at the same time retraining the necessary structural rigidity to revent excessive deformation of the package.

In packages for supporting flashbulb-s, for example, the problems encountered in providing a package of sufficient rigidity and yet providing a resilient support be compounded by the desirability of providing an arrangement whereby the bulbs may be quite simply popped out of the package one at a time such that a photographer can quickly and easily have access to individual bulbs without disturb ing the remaining bulbs or destroying the package.

The present invention employs a very th n gauge (5-10 mils) resilient thermoplastic material preferably transparent biaxially oriented polystyrene, which is particularly suited for forming this type of package and provides improved results over prior art devices. However, other thermoplastic materials are contemplated.

Briefly, a presently preferred package according to the invention comprises an elongated generally rectangular,

open ended, tube having a conformed thermoplastic body member defining three sides of the package and a separate, flat sheet-like, member of the same or different material defining the fourth side.

The body member is made by deforming a flat sheet of thermoplastic material to a suitable three dimensional conformation by known heat and pressure (positive and/ or negative) forming methods.

A plurality of the conformed blanks, or fiats, are shipped to a packaging site in fiat nested relation to minimize space requirements and shipping costs. At the packaging site the body member blank is folded around the articles to be packaged and the separate member joined by any suitable means with said body member to complete the package. However, a snap fastener means is presently preferred to join the body member and separate memher.

As noted above the body member is initially formed as a conformed flat or blank which is folded about the article to be packaged and forming three sides of a finished package. Thus, an important feature of the invention resides in the formation of the corners of the body member. In contrast to the conventional square corners of prior art packages which are scored to form a hinge, the corners of the package of this invention are initially formed, on the conformed flat or blank, in the shape of an arc or preferably V-shaped. vln drawing the sheet stock into a V the material at the apex of the V is drawn very thin and thethickness of material of the side walls of the V taper to a maximum thickness at the base ends of the side walls. In folding the body portion, the side walls of the l -shaped corners pivot about the apex hinge and form a flat surface having a very thin portion disposed between and protected by dual, thick walled, corners.

Another important feature of the conformed body member of the package disclosed herein is that when the body member is folded about the article to be packaged, the article cradling and supporting surfaces are inwardly recessed. Thus, the thinnest wall portions of the package, including the fragile corners, are protected by, and resilriently support the packaged article, within an integral relatively rigid framework comprising the thick wall portions of the package which are substantially of the same thickness as the starting material or flat sheet.

In addition, each of the various panels of the plastic body member is provided with recessed portions or corrugations which serve to strengthen and rigidify said member. These corrugations are formed by employing a female die and applying pressure to one side of the plastic material and a vacuum to the opposite side thereof to draw the material into the die. It has been found that such recesses or corrugations when employed with biaxially oriented crystalline polystyrene has a particularly iadvantgeous result since both the compression and tensile strengths thereof are appreciably increased by such procedures.

The fourth side or panel of the package is formed as a separate member provided with suitable means for intel-connection with the connector strips of the plastic body member to define a closed four-sided package, the supported. article being clamped between the separate member and the supporting pads of the body member. This separate member is provided with a plurality of slits which enable the package to be readily connected with a belt Worn about the body of a person, thereby providing an extremely simple yet very effective method of supporting the package in a convenient location While a person is utilizing the supported articles.

The separate member defining the fourth side of the package serves an additional important function since this separate member may be scored and perforated such that it can be torn at intermediate portions thereof. The separate member is adapted to be connected at opposite ends the eof with two different plastic body member-s whereby two packages are interconnected with one another, the separate member being folded upon itself and being secured in such position to define a single unit comprising two packages which may be subsequently separated into two different packages or units.

An object of the present invention is to provide a new and novel package particularly suited for supporting fragile articles.

Another object of the invention is to provide a package of conformed blanks of plastic material which can be nested within one another as nested conformed flats.

A further object of the invention is to provide a package wherein fragile articles are supported Within the most resilient thin walled portion of :a package integral with a rigid framework comprising the thick wall portions of the package.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of a folding package having a novel corner means about which adjacent side walls of the package pivot to a folded or operable position and in which the fragile thin walled portion of the corner is recessed to prevent breakage of the package at the corner portions.

Yet another object of the invent-ion is the provision of a package for fragile articles wherein two packages may be assembled as a single unit which may be subsequently separated into two individual units, each of the units being adapted for mounting upon the belt of a person.

Other objects and many attendant advantages of the FIG. 6 is a schematic view illustrating the manner in which two separate packages are assembled as one unit; FIG. 7 is a plan view of a modified body member blank; FIG. 8 an elevation of an erected package employing a blank shown in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a rear view of the device shown in FIG. 8; FIG. 10 illustrates the manner in which two separate packages as shown in FIG. 8 are assembledasa unit; and FIG. 11 is a plan view of a modified separate-member blank.

Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, there is shown in FIG. 1 a conformed blank of the body member illustrated generally by reference numeral 10 which is substantially flat and is formed by drawing a flat sheet of resilient material into a female die. It is evident that a large number of these body member blanks may be nested within one another to facilitate shipping thereof, The body member blank is.

preferably formed of a resilient thermoplastic material, and a particularly suitable material for use in the package according to the present invention, is biaxially oriented polystyrene such as sold under the name Poly Flex by the Monsanto Chemical Company. The material preferably being of thin gauge so as to reduce the expense of the package to a minimum. A sheet of material of a thickness of approximately 7.5 mils is quite satisfactory for the present purposes.

Various other plastics such as poly vinyl chloride, stiff acetate and similar plastics may also be employed, such plastics being light-weight with clear transparency vand sparkle, and being water, acid, and alkali resistant and yet relatively easy to print on. The resiliency of biaxially oriented crystalline polystyrene is greatly increased by providing corrugations or grooves in the surface of the material and it has been found that corrugations on the order of A to /4 inch in depth are quite satisfactory.

As seen in FIG. 1, body member blank 10 comprises three panels 11, 12, and 13, 'each of which has formed integrally along its longitudinally extending edges V- shaped corner portions which are indicated respectively by reference numerals 14, '15, 16 and 17. A connector strip 4 nected with the adjacent panels and connector strips, are the thickest or strongest portions. This arrangement is highly advantageous since, as pointed out previously, a package having a recessed and protected fragile corner will not break as readily as a square outwardly projecting scored c0rner.-

In addition .to a corner arrangement wherein the thinner or weaker portions of the corners are disposed inwardly in a protected position where they will not come into contact with external objects, this corner construction provides a very simple means for adjusting the size of the finished package while employing the same size blank since the size of the package can be changed to a limited degree merely by varying the depth of draw of the corner portionsin the female die "when forming the blank.

As seen in FIGS. 1, 2 and 5,-panel 11 of the body member 10 is provided with a plurality of laterally extending grooves or corrugations 25,"and after the body member, is formed, circular openings 26 are cutv at spaced intervals through panel 11, the openings havinga diam- 'eter slightly greater than the largestdiameter of the supported fiashbulbs whereby the flashbulbs may freely pass through these openings. v

Tworows of longitudinally extending grooves or corrugations 30 and 31 are provided in, panel 12 of the body member adjacent pairs of the grooves being separated by pairs of laterally extending grooves or corrugations .32 and 33. Formed between the adjacent pairs of laterally extending grooves32 and 33 are supporting pads or eraindicated by reference numeral 20 isformed integral with the outer edge of corner portion 14 and another connector 7 strip indicated generally by reference numeral '21 c omprises a plurality of tongue-like members 22 formed integral with the outer edge of corner-portion 17.1

. Thecons-truetion of the bodymembermay be more clearly understood by reference to FIG. 2 showing a cross section along lines 22 of FIG. 1, taken with FIG. ,4, illustrating a cross-sectional elevation of the erectedposition of the body member. In the erected position, it is evident that the corner portions 14, 15, and 16,'and 17 are disposed at the four longitudinally extending edgesof the package. The corner portions aswell as the other 7 deformed portions of the body member blank are each;

thinned out since the material deformed the greatest amount from the original plane of the blank materialwill be the thinnest portion of the bo'dy rnember. Accord- -ingly,..the portions. of the corners which extend'farthest inwardly toward the center of the packageare the thinnest portions thereof, whereas the/outstanding portions, icon-w dles 35 which may have an inner surface formedcomplementa'ry to the outer surface of the flashbulb for snugly engaging the flashbulb as seen in FIG. 5. A lip portion 36 is formed .at one end of each .of the supporting pads nearest openings 26, lip portions 36 projecting farther inwardly than the remaining portions of the pad. The purpose of lip'portions 36 will be more fully hereinafter explained.

Panel 13 of body member 10, has a plurality :of laterally extending grooves or'corrugations 40 formed at spaced intervals therein, and intermediate each adjacent pairof grooves is formeda dome-shaped portion 41. As seen most clearly'in FIG. 5, the dome-shaped portion '41 is connectedto the panel in which it is formed by a plurality of integrally form'ed annular stepped elements 42 and 43 which provide a resilient support for domeshaped portion 41 and further which serve to recess the dome-shaped portion inwardly of the outer'surface of panel 13. As seen in FIG. 5, dome-shaped portion 41 is provided with a radius of curvature less than the outer end of the supported flashbulb to define an-air pocket 45 between the dome-shaped portion and the outer end" of the supported article. Alternatively, the dome-shaped portion 41 maybe dispensed with an aperture of'the same diameter as dome, 41 placed in panel 13. The purpose of dome 41 or aperture willbefully explained hereinafter. It is important to note: at this point that 'each of the elements of the plastic body member which engage the flashbulb as shown in FIG. 5 are of reduced wall thickness thereby providing an arrangement wherein the fragile article is'supported by the most flexiblyresilient elements :of the body member which, of course, tends to eliminate damage to the packaged article due to impacts received by the outer surface of the package.

a As seen most clearly inFIG. 5, connector strip 20 and each ofton'gues 22 formed at opposite outer edges of the a similarmanner the 'opposite' ends of corner portion 17 arecut away;at 1 7.', thereby eliminating any sharp corners at each sid e of the erected package.

Referring now to- .FIG. 3 ,fa blank of a pairof separate members employed in connection with the plastic body member is illustrated, and is indicated generally by reference numeral 60. The separate member being formed of a suitable material having a fair degree of rigidity such as cardboard or the like. It will be noted that the blank is divided to form two separate members 61 and 62. The two members 61 and 62 being separated by a central scored and perforated line 63 formed between the rounded portions 61 and 62 formed at the upper and lower edges of the separate members of blank 60. The corners of the opposite outer edges of the separate members 61 and 62 are cut off at an angle at 61 and 62" to eliminate all sharp corners. A pair of openings 64 and 65 are provided through the central portions of separate members 61 and 62 adjacent the line 63 therebetween.

Perforated and scored lines 66 and 67 extend longitudinally of each of the separate members of the blank. The lines 63, 66 and 67 each defining lines along the separate member blank 60 for separating the various portions from one another. A plurality of spaced slots 66 are formed through separate member 61 of the blank adjacent line 66, and a similar plurality of spaced slots 67' are formed through separate member 62 of the blank adjacent line 67 thereof.

Two rows 68 and 69 of spaced openings are provided in separate member 61 of the blank between the slots 66' thereof and the outer edge 70 thereof. A similar pair of rows 71 and 72 of spaced openings are provided through separate member 62 intermediate the slots 67' and the outer edge 73 of the blank 64). Suitable printing material is preferably placed upon the separate members intermediate the two rows of openings. This printing material may comprise the material that is conventionally provided on flashbulb packages indicating the proper camera shutter speeds and settings for different lighting conditions when employing the flashbulbs. A first pair of spaced slits 75 and a second pair of spaced slits '76 are provided in separate member 61 and extend between the two rows of openings 68 and 69. A similar pair of slits 77 and 78 are provided in separate member 62 intermediate the two rows of openings 71 and 72. Each of these slits has an enlarged circular opening formed at one end thereof for preventing tearing of the material adjacent the opposite ends of the slits. The purpose of the slits will be more fully hereinafter described.

As seen in FIGS. 4 and 5, a separate member 61 or 62 of blank 60 is employed in cooperation with the plastic body member'iltl for providing the assembled package, the tongues 22 extending through the slots 66 provided in separate member 61 of the cardboard blank. The male fasteners 56 on connector strip 2% are forced downwardly through the row of openings 68, the enlarged heads 52 of the fasteners being slightly larger than the openings 63 to provide a connection between the body member and the separate cardboard member.

In a similar manner, the male fasteners 54? on tongues 2 extend through the row of openings 69 adjacent slots 66' for rigidly securing the opposite edge of a body member to a cardboard member. In this manner, the body member and the cardboard member are effectively locked to one another in a very simple and expeditious manner. It is evident that a second body member 16 may be similarly connected with the opposite separate member 62 of the cardboard blank 60 whereby cardboard blank 69 will be interconnected with two separate body members to provide two complete packages.

This assembly, including the two complete packages may then be folded into a .unit as shown schematically in FIG. 6 to facilitate shipping two separate packages. As shown in FIG. 6, separate member 61 and separate member 62 have been pivoted upwardly about line d3, the outer segments of member 61 and member 62 being bent downwardly along lines 66 and 67 respectively. Longitudinally extending strips of pressure sensitive tape 36 are then placed upon the adjacent facing surfaces of the card board blank 69 such that when the two packages are moved toward one another the adjacent strips 80 will contact and fasten with one another such that the two packages are held together as a unit. When this unit arrives at its destination, the two individual packages may be separated by pulling the two packages apart to separate the pressure sensitive tapes and then tearing the cardbord blank along perforated line 63. As seen in FIG. 6 the tab portions of separate members 61 and 62 between score lines 63, 66 and 67 may be pivoted upwardly about lines 66 and 67 respectively and the packages displayed on a suitable hook or rod inserted through apertures 64 and 65. Obviously, the tab portions may be provided with advertising matter, brand names, etc.

As seen most clearly in FIG. 5, a supported flashbulb includes an enlarged rounded bulb portion 86 and a reduced shank portion 87, the enlarged bulb portion 85 being held in position within the package and clamped between supporting pads or cradles 35 and the undersurface of the separate member 60 connected to the body means. The package and article are so dimensioned that the article produces a slight tensioning of the body means in operative position as shown, thereby further strengthening the body means. Further, the air pocket 45, the resilient portions of the supporting pad 35, and resiliently mounted dome-shaped portion 41, serve to provide a very shocleproof mounting for the flashbulb. It is also apparent that all portions of the bulb are disposed within and protected by the thick wall, overhanging marginal portions of the package.

A feature of the present invention is the manner in which the bulbs may be individually dispensed from the package. This can most clearly be understood by reference to FIG. 5 wherein it is apparent that dome-shaped portion 41 may be pressed inwardly by a persons finger into the dotted line position indicated by reference numeral 45'. It the initial height of the apex of domeshaped portion 41 is a quarter inch above the base portion thereof, it is apparent that the apex portion of the domeshaped portion may be deformed approximately a full half inch. This amount of movement is suificient to force the fiashbulb through opening 26 in the panel 11 such that shank portion 87 projects outwardly of the package far enough for a person to easily grasp the shank portion and remove the flashbulb. An additional novel cooperative effect obtained during the pop-out operation is due to lip portion 36 on the associated supporting pad 35.. It is evident that lip portion 36 will impede movement of the undersurface of the flashbulb as shown in FIG. 5 thereby causing the flashbulb to tilt as it moves outwardly through associated opening 26, and at the same time lip portion 36 prevents the bulb from accidently and prematurely leaving the package since it maintains the bulb clamped against the undersurface of the separate member while it is being ejected. This is a particularly desirable result since the bulb, partly ejected is held downwardly can-ted to facilitate complete removal from the package and at the same time lip portion 36 insures that the bulb will not be prematurely dropped from the package. A popped-out bulb is indicated by reference numeral 38 in FIG. 4 illustrating the manner in which the bulb cants downwardly, and in addition, arrow A in FIG. 5 indicates the ultimate direction of the longitudinal axis of the bulb after the shank thereof has been pushed out through opening 26.

As previously mentioned, an alternative arrangement is also contemplated wherein the dome 41 is dispensed with and a finger aperture 141 (see FIG. 7) is utilized in its its place. The annular corrugations or stepped elements -42, 43 (FIG. 5) resiliently maintain the bulb 85' against lip 36 of cradle 35 as before, however, by means of the finger aperture 141 a bulb may be fully ejected when pushed from one end of the package, whereas, with the dome 41 a bulb can only be partly removed when pushed from one end of the package. To complete the removal of a bulb it had to be pulled from the other end of the package.

The slits 75 to 78, inclusive, in the separate members 6.1 and 62 provide a means whereby the packages may be mounted upon the belt of a person employing the flashbulbs. The carboaxrd blank may be separated along lines 66 or 67 and then a persons belt may be inserted under the flaps defined between each adjacent pair of slits in an obvious manner to mount the package upon the persons belt. This is particularly useful to a photographer when he is moving about while taking flash pictures since the bulbs may be popped out one at a time'as the photographer moves from place to place. v

Referring now to FIG. 7, a modified body means blank is illustrated, this blank being very similar to the blank shown in FIG. 1, the modified body member blank 160 comprising panels 111, 112 and 113, which are identical with panels 11, 12, and 13 of the body member blank shown in FIG. 1 with the exception noted above, wherein a finger aperture 141 is utilized in panel 113 of body member 100 in place of the dome 41 in panel 13 of body member 10. The connector strip 200 and corner portions.

114, 115, and 116 are identical with portions 20, 14, 15 and 16 respectively as shown in'FIGQl. The other difference in the blank 109 as shown in FIG. 7 lies in the provision of a continuous corner portion 120 which is similar to corner portions 114 and a connector strip 121 which is identical with connector strip 200 in contrast to the arragement shown in FIG. 1 wherein connector strip 21 comprises a plurality of tongues 22. a

It is evident that the blank as shown in FIG. 7. is not adapted for use with a separate member blank as shown in FIG. 4, but with a modified separate member blank 13%). as

shown in FIG. 11. Blank 130 contains two separate members 131 and 132 connectedby a scored and perforated line 133 formed there-between. Laterally extending perforated and scored lines 134 and 135 are provided in each separate member 131 and 132 respectively, together with two rows of spaced openings136, 137 and 138, 139 respectively. I 7

Male fastener members 150 are provided on connector strips 200 and 121 of the separate member, these fasteners being identical with fasteners 50 shown in FIG. 1, adapted to cooperate with the openings provided in the separate member blank for securing the body memberlOOto each of the separate members of blank 130. j

The fasteners 150 of one body memberare inserted through rows of openings 136 and 137, and the fasteners 150 of another body member are inserted through the other rows of openings 138 and 139 of each separate member thereby providing two assembled packages as before described in connection with FIGS. 1 to 6 inclusive. This assembly may then be folded as shown somewhat schematically in FIG. '10 alongrlines 133, 134 and 135. Strips of pressure sensitive tape 14%) are then secured to adjacent facing surfaces of the separate member blank 130, and the assembly formed into a unit as previously described. The unit may subsequently be disassembled.

and the two halves of the cardboard blank separated from one another along line 133. FIG. 8 illustrates one of the erected packages with the end portions of the separate member extending beyond the, body means. Each of the separate members 131 and 132 is provided with open ings 131' and 132' (FIGS. 8 and 11) for the purpose of displaying the packages. hereinabove described in connec-f tion with FIGS. 1 to 6.

Printingis also provided upon separate members 131 and 132 as described in connection with FIG. 3 and'slits are provided to attach a package to a persons beltas with slits 7 5 and 78 providedin the blank shown in FIG. 3.

It is evident that the general principles employed in that of the other modification of the invention, the differ.- ences being in the provision of a finger aperture and a the modification shown in FIGS. 7-11-are the same as slightlymodified interconnecting arrangement between.

the body member and the separate member.

' It will be apparent from the foregoing that this invention provides a' new and novel package particularly useful for articles such as flashbulbs. The conformed blanks employed in the present invention may be shipped in flat nested position and in addition, separate pairs of packages may be assembled asa unit for facilitating shipmerit. The supported articlesrest upon resilient portions of the body member within a'rigid framework comprising the remainder of the body member to prevent damage to thearticles. The corner construction according to the present invention provides corners wherein the weakest portions there-of are disposed in a protected position. The flashbulbs may be quickly and easily popped out of the package and are properly disposed in a canted position when popped out and yet the bulbs are prevented from accidentally and prematurely dropping out of the package. Thegpackage may be mounted upon a belt of a person employing the bulbs, if desired, and the package provides a very neat display item for use inretail stores.

As this invention may be embodied in several forms" without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof, the present embodiment is therefore illustrative and not restrictive, and since the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims, all changes that fall within the metes and bounds of the claims or that form their functional as well as conjointly cooperative equivalents are therefore intended tobe embraced by those claims.

I claim: a

a 1. A package containing a plurality of flashbulbs and like fragile articles comprising a thermoplastic sheet portion including a plurality of panel members having conformations projecting therefrom, resiliently expandable corner means integral with adjacent ones of said panel members comprising an inverted V-shaped portion ex tending in the direction of'said conformations, said V- shaped. portion having a tapered cross section converging at the apex of said V whereby said panel members are hingedlyinterconnected with one another by said resiliently expandable corner means, a separate member, a fiashbulb located between said separate member and one of said panel members, flashbulb being cradled in said location by theconformation of said oneof said panel members and being urged against'said separate member by the remainder of said panel members being folded into planes normal to said one panel member and connected with said separate member.

2. A :package according to claim '1 wherein the conformed portions of the panels of said panel members are of thinner thermoplastic material than the remaining portions of, said. panel members whereby said article isresiliently supported by said conformations within a relatively rigid frame defined "by the remaining portions of said panel members. I

3. A package according to claiml with the addition of a second thermoplastic sheet portionincluding a second plurality of panel members having conformations projecting therefrom, a secondresiliently expandable cor.- ner meansintegra'lw ith adjacent ones of said second panel members comprising-a second inverted V-shaped portion having a tapered cross section converging at the apex of said V whereby said second panel members are hingedly interconnected; with one anotherysaid second separate member, an articlelocated between said second separate member-and oneof said second panel members, said article being cradled in said location by the conformation of one of said second panel members and beingurged against said second separate member by the remainder of 7 said second panel members being folded into planes nor- 9 connected with said second panel members, and means interconnecting each said separate member.

4. A package according to claim 3 wherein said means interconnecting each said separate member is folded and scored in a plane intermediate said separate member and said second separate member whereby each said separate member is brought into close proximity with one another and are disconnected by tearing said means along said scored plane.

5. A package containing a plurality of flashbulbs and like fragile articles comprising a thermoplastic body member of sheet material having a plurality of groups of panels, each group of said panels having a pair of opposed end panels and an intermediate panel, resiliently expandable corner means interconnecting said end panels and said intermediate panel, an elongated separate member overlying said plurality of intermediate panels and defining a plurality of spaces, a fiashbulb positioned in each space, conformation means connected with said intermediate panels for removably securing said flashbulbs in said spaces, means connected with the free edge of each said end panel for connecting said edges with said separate member, one end panel of each said group of panels having an aperture therein for permitting ejection of a flashbulb from said package, and the opposite end panel of said group of panels having means providing access to said fiashbulbs whereby the fiashbulbs are pushed through said apertures.

6. A package according to claim 5 wherein said means for connecting said edges and said separate member comprises connector strips having a plurality of tongue-like members and said separate member having a plurality of slots formed therein to receive said tongue-like members.

7. A package according to claim 5 wherein each intermediate panel of said body member has an inwardly projecting conformation comprising cradle means for said flashbulbs.

8. A package according to claim 7 wherein said cradle 10 means includes a lip portion at one end thereof projecting inwardly of the remainder of said cradle.

9. A package acording to claim 5 wherein a panel opposite one of said end panels has an annular inwardly corrugated portion adjacent said aperture engaging one end of said flashbulb.

10. A package according to claim 5 wherein said opposite end panels of said body member have a domeshaped portion and an annular inwardly corrugated portion intermediate said dome and the associated panel.

11. An article of manufacture for a package comprising a sheet of thermoplastic material having a plurality of groups of three panel members including opposite end panel members and an intermediate panel member, resiliently expandable inverted V-shaped corner means integral with adjacent ones of said panel members of each said group, each said intermediate panel member having a conformation projecting therefrom, one end panel of each said group of panels having an aperture therein and each of the opposite end panels of said groups of panels also having an invertable conformation projecting therefrom in the same direction as the conformation of said intermediate panel, and the free ends of said end panels having means for connecting a separate member and said end panels when disposed normal to said intermediate panel and connected with a separate member to form a package of said article of manufacture.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,368,619 Soderberg Feb. 6, 1945 2,734,676 Lawrence Feb. 14, 1956 2,816,666 Nadel Dec. 17, 1957 2,881,940 Hamilton Apr. 14, 1959 2,946,838 Bellek July 26, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS 898,580 Germany Dec. 3, 1953 

1. A PACKAGE CONTAINING A PLURALITY OF FLASHBULBS AND LIKE FRAGILE ARTICLES COMPRISING A THERMOPLASTIC SHEET PORTION INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF PANEL MEMBERS HAVING CONFORMATIONS PROJECTING THEREFROM, RESILIENTLY EXPANDABLE CORNER MEANS INTEGRAL WITH ADJACENT ONES OF SAID PANEL MEMBERS COMPRISING AND INVERTED V-SHAPED PORTION EXTENDING IN THE DIRECTION OF SAID CONFORMATIONS, SAID VSHAPED PORTION HAVING A TAPERED CROSS SECTION CONVERGING AT THE APEX OF SAID V WHEREBY SAID PANEL MEMBERS ARE HINGEDLY INTERCONNECTED WITH ONE ANOTHER BY SAID RESILIENTLY EXPANDABLE CORNER MEANS, A SEPARATE MEMBER, A FLASHBULB LOCATED BETWEEN SAID SEPARATE MEMBER AND ONE OF SAID PANEL MEMBERS, FLASHBULB BEING CRADLED IN SAID LOCATION BY THE CONFORMATION OF SAID ONE OF SAID PANEL MEMBERS AND BEING URGED AGAINST SAID SEPARATE MEMBER BY THE REMAINDER OF SAID PANEL MEMBERS BEING FOLDED INTO PLANES NORMAL TO SAID ONE PANEL MEMBER AND CONNECTED WITH SAID SEPARATE MEMBER. 